1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to food coolers and, more particularly, to portable food coolers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Portable food coolers are well known in the art. Generally, the portable food coolers receive a quantity of ice or other coolant for cooling items placed in the coolers. The items that are cooled must generally be either packaged in water-tight containers, such as beverage cans and bottles, or :must be placed in water-tight containers. This is so because the ice melts, and the water from the melted ice can contaminate the items unless suitably protected.
There are numerous food items, however, that may not be conveniently placed in water-tight containers. For example, before certain food items are to be placed on a barbecue, it may be desirable to have the food marinated, seasoned, or sauted. It may be desirable to have the food remain in this pre-cooked condition for a predetermined period of time. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler had provisions for retaining food that is not in water-tight containers for a predetermined period of time without the food getting wet from melted ice.
As food is waiting to be barbecued, often the food is open to the air and is subject to attack from flying insects. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler were provided which protected food from flying insects prior to the food being barbecued.
When people have a barbecue outside their house, often the people will keep the food inside the house just prior to the barbecue. If this is done, to carry out the barbecue, a number of back and forth trips must be made between outside the house and inside the house. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler were provided which precluded the necessity of making a number of trips from inside the house to outside the house for carrying food from inside the house that has been standing a predetermined period of time in a precooked status such as in a marinade.
If food is taken outside a house to sit for a predetermined period of time prior to its being barbecued, the food may be covered to prevent the food's being attacked by flying insects. Yet, when the food is covered, the food is not protected from ambient heat. The ambient temperature of a hot summer day may be deleterious to the food and may promote food spoilage. In this respect, it would be desirable if a food storage device were provided which protected the food from hot ambient air as the food is waiting to be barbecued.
Another set of circumstances that may prove to be a problem when food is placed outdoors for a period of time prior to a barbecue is the presence of direct sunlight. Direct sunlight may cause accelerated heating of food that should otherwise be kept at a cool temperature. In this respect, it would be desirable if a food storage device were provided that protects food from direct sunlight when the food a waiting to be barbecued.
Throughout the years, a number of innovations have been developed relating to portable food coolers, and the following U.S. patents are representative of some of those innovations: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,280,336; 4,648,512; 4,662,188; 4,873,841; and 4,955,957.
More specifically, U.S. Pat. No. 4,280,336 disclose a portable cooler that has a food receptacle and a plurality of cylindrical receptacles for receiving cylindrical beverage cans. A cold pack is used for cooling. With this device, if a cold pack were not employed and ice cubes were used instead, then any food that were placed in the food receptacle would be subjected to being soaked by water from melted ice. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler were provided that can employ either a cold pack or ice cubes for cooling food without subjecting the food from soaking from water from melted ice.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,648,512 discloses a portable cooler that has side receptacles for storing non-food items. Moreover, a common lid is placed over both a portion of the cooler that receives ice and a portion of the cooler that receives food items. If the food-receiving portion is removed from the cooler, the food-receiving portion is not covered and is subject to attack by insects and the direct rays of the sun. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler were provided which included a food-receiving portion that has its own lid that stays with the food-receiving portion when the food-receiving portion is removed from the ice-receiving portion.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,662,188 discloses a portable cooler or ice chest in which items are stored in one plane and are reoriented 90 degrees when carried in brief-case-like fashion. As a result, stored items may be overturned and upset when stored and then carried. In this respect, it would be desirable if a portable food cooler were provided which does not reorient stored items when the cooler is carried.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,873,841 discloses a wheeled carrier for a portable cooler. U.S. Pat. No. 4,955,957 discloses a portable cooler which includes means for securing the cooler to a carrier surface. Although special carriers may be desirable for certain coolers, especially large coolers that are difficult to carry, it is preferable if a portable cooler were sufficiently small and light-weight as to be readily transported by carrying the cooler with handles connected to the cooler.
Thus, while the foregoing body of prior art indicates it to be well known to use portable food coolers, the prior art described above does not teach or suggest a portable food cooler apparatus which has the following combination of desirable features: (1) has provisions for retaining food that is not in water-tight containers for a predetermined period of time without the food getting wet from melted ice; (2) protects food from flying insects prior to the food being barbecued; (3) precludes the necessity of making a number of trips from inside the house to outside the house for carrying food from inside the house that has been standing a predetermined period of time in a precooked status; (4) protects the food from hot ambient air as the food is waiting to be barbecued; (5) protects food from direct sunlight when the food is waiting to be barbecued; (6) can employ either a cold pack or ice cubes for cooling food without subjecting the food to a soaking from water from melted ice; (7) includes a food-receiving portion that has its own lid that stays with the food-receiving portion when the food-receiving portion is removed from the ice-receiving portion; (8) does not reorient stored items when the cooler is carried; and (9) is sufficiently small and light-weight as to be readily transported by carrying the cooler with handles connected to the cooler. The foregoing desired characteristics are provided by the unique portable food cooler apparatus of the present invention as will be made apparent from the following description thereof. Other advantages of the present invention over the prior art also will be rendered evident.